Research

All major publications from Airwars’ documentation, research, investigations and policy teams

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120 posts
15 Jan, 2016
Update

US admits five new civilian casualty cases in Iraq and Syria

The United States has conceded five fresh civilian casualty incidents in Iraq and Syria which between them killed eight or more non-combatants, it believes. Analysis suggests the actual toll from these five events is between 14 and 21 civilians killed, raising fresh questions about US and Coalition dependence upon aerial-only footage during post-strike investigations. Airwars […]
15 Jan, 2016
Update

US admits five new civilian casualty cases in Iraq and Syria

The United States has conceded five fresh civilian casualty incidents in Iraq and Syria which between them killed eight or more non-combatants, it believes. Analysis suggests the actual toll from these five events is between 14 and 21 civilians killed, raising fresh questions about US and Coalition dependence upon aerial-only footage during post-strike investigations. Airwars […]
21 Dec, 2015
Research

International airstrikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: November 2015

Major military developments November 2015 saw the greatest number of Coalition actions yet reported in the 16-month war, with 529 airstrikes in Iraq and 232 in Syria. Overall, a total of 5,638 air strikes had been carried out in Iraq, and 2,944 in Syria to the end of the month. The 13 allies had between […]
21 Dec, 2015
Update

International airstrikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: November 2015

Additional reporting by Kinda Haddad and Latif Habib Major military developments November 2015 saw the greatest number of Coalition actions yet reported in the 16-month war, with 529 airstrikes in Iraq and 232 in Syria. Overall, a total of 5,638 air strikes had been carried out in Iraq, and 2,944 in Syria to the end […]
6 Oct, 2015
Update

Denmark brings F-16s home on first anniversary of anti-Daesh mission

Denmark was one of the last international allies to join Coalition strikes against Islamic State in Iraq. Even so, the past year has seen such a heavy workload that Danish personnel went public with their complaints of fatigue. With all seven F-16s now safely home, guest reporter Rasmus Raun Westh looks at a year of […]
6 Oct, 2015
Update

Denmark brings F-16s home on first anniversary of anti-Daesh mission

Denmark was one of the last international allies to join Coalition strikes against Islamic State in Iraq. Even so, the past year has seen such a heavy workload that Danish personnel went public with their complaints of fatigue. With all seven F-16s now safely home, guest reporter Rasmus Raun Westh looks at a year of […]
15 Sep, 2015
Research

Coalition strikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: August 2015

Major Developments 6.548 Coalition airstrikes had been carried out to the end of August 2015 according to an Airwars count. Of these, 62% targeted Daesh in Iraq (4,080 strikes) with 2,468 airstrikes in Syria In total, Coalition aircraft had dropped 22,478 bombs and missiles on Iraq and Syria to August 31st Airwars recorded 12 new alleged civilian […]
15 Sep, 2015
Update

Coalition strikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: August 2015

Major Developments 6.548 Coalition airstrikes had been carried out to the end of August 2015 according to an Airwars count. Of these, 62% targeted Daesh in Iraq (4,080 strikes) with 2,468 airstrikes in Syria In total, Coalition aircraft had dropped 22,478 bombs and missiles on Iraq and Syria to August 31st Airwars recorded 12 new alleged civilian […]
10 Aug, 2015
Update

First year of Coalition airstrikes helped stall Islamic State – but at a cost

IMAGE: An F/A-18 Super Hornet launches from USS Carl Vinson, October 2014 (US Navy/ Alex King) At 1.45pm local time on August 8th 2014, the United States began airstrikes against Islamic State (Daesh), after the terror group had overrun much of northern Iraq and begun massacring non-Sunnis. Six weeks later that air war was expanded to Syria, […]
10 Aug, 2015
Update

First year of Coalition airstrikes helped stall Islamic State – but at a cost

IMAGE: An F/A-18 Super Hornet launches from USS Carl Vinson, October 2014 (US Navy/ Alex King) At 1.45pm local time on August 8th 2014, the United States began airstrikes against Islamic State (Daesh), after the terror group had overrun much of northern Iraq and begun massacring non-Sunnis. Six weeks later that air war was expanded to Syria, […]
3 Aug, 2015
Update

Hundreds of civilians credibly reported killed in first year of Coalition airstrikes, Airwars study finds

ABOVE: Scene of a devastating Coalition strike at Hawijah, Iraq on June 3rd 2015 which reportedly killed up to 70 civilians (via Iraqi Spring) A six-month investigation into alleged civilian and ‘friendly fire’ deaths from Coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria has identified more than 120 incidents of concern to June 30th according to an Airwars report published […]
3 Aug, 2015
Update

Hundreds of civilians credibly reported killed in first year of Coalition airstrikes, Airwars study finds

ABOVE: Scene of a devastating Coalition strike at Hawijah, Iraq on June 3rd 2015 which reportedly killed up to 70 civilians (via Iraqi Spring) A six-month investigation into alleged civilian and ‘friendly fire’ deaths from Coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria has identified more than 120 incidents of concern to June 30th according to an Airwars report published […]
24 Jul, 2015
Update

Coalition strikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: July 10th-24th 2015

ABOVE: General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, takes questions during a ‘town hall’ session in Baghdad July 18th (US Army/ Spc. Tristan D. Bolden) Additional reporting by Basile Simon, Kinda Haddad and Latif Habib Major Developments  In the two weeks since our last report, the Coalition has carried out 246 new airstrikes in […]
24 Jul, 2015
Research

Coalition strikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: July 10th-24th 2015

ABOVE: General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, takes questions during a ‘town hall’ session in Baghdad July 18th (US Army/ Spc. Tristan D. Bolden) Additional reporting by Basile Simon, Kinda Haddad and Latif Habib Major Developments  In the two weeks since our last report, the Coalition has carried out 246 new airstrikes in […]
10 Jul, 2015
Update

Coalition strikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: July 3rd-10th 2015

ABOVE: Burnt out wreckage of a car carrying seven alleged Al Nusra Front members, destroyed in a US targeted strike in Syria July 8 2015 (via SNN) Additional reporting by Basile Simon, Kinda Haddad and Latif Habib. Major Developments Casualty recorders publish the name of a 200th alleged victim of coalition airstrikes in Syria. In Iraq, […]
10 Jul, 2015
Research

Coalition strikes and civilian casualty claims in Iraq and Syria: July 3rd-10th 2015

ABOVE: Burnt out wreckage of a car carrying seven alleged Al Nusra Front members, destroyed in a US targeted strike in Syria July 8 2015 (via SNN) Additional reporting by Basile Simon, Kinda Haddad and Latif Habib. Major Developments Casualty recorders publish the name of a 200th alleged victim of coalition airstrikes in Syria. In Iraq, […]
4 Jul, 2015
Research

Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 26th – July 3rd 2015

ABOVE: A bomb-laden Belgian F-16 prepares for a mission in Iraq, December 2014 (Belgian MoD)   Major Developments Belgium announces it has ended its military role in the coalition, withdrawing its F-16s after approximately 41 airstrikes 13 fresh problem events are reported for June in both Iraq and Syria, involving multiple civilian deaths allegedly caused by […]
4 Jul, 2015
Update

Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 26th – July 3rd 2015

ABOVE: A bomb-laden Belgian F-16 prepares for a mission in Iraq, December 2014 (Belgian MoD)   Major Developments Belgium announces it has ended its military role in the coalition, withdrawing its F-16s after approximately 41 airstrikes 13 fresh problem events are reported for June in both Iraq and Syria, involving multiple civilian deaths allegedly caused by […]
23 Jun, 2015
Research

Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 19th-26th 2015

ABOVE: Delegates at the 29th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, June 22 2015, heard calls for coalition members to promptly investigate reports of civilian casualties (UN) Major Developments The coalition ends its 46th week of bombings having carried out 141 airstrikes on Islamic State. New UN report calls on international coalition […]
23 Jun, 2015
Update

Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 19th-26th 2015

ABOVE: Delegates at the 29th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, June 22 2015, heard calls for coalition members to promptly investigate reports of civilian casualties (UN) Major Developments The coalition ends its 46th week of bombings having carried out 141 airstrikes on Islamic State. New UN report calls on international coalition […]
21 Jun, 2015
Research

Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 12th-19th 2015

ABOVE: Residents of Tal Abyad region flee the fighting between Islamic State and YPG Kurds, June  2015 (SNN) Major Developments Coalition ends 45th week of bombings having carried out 4,673 airstrikes on Islamic State At least 6 and as many as 20 civilians were reported killed in a series of coalition airstrikes on June 13th, in support of […]
21 Jun, 2015
Update

Coalition airstrikes and reported casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 12th-19th 2015

ABOVE: Residents of Tal Abyad region flee the fighting between Islamic State and YPG Kurds, June  2015 (SNN) Major Developments Coalition ends 45th week of bombings having carried out 4,673 airstrikes on Islamic State At least 6 and as many as 20 civilians were reported killed in a series of coalition airstrikes on June 13th, in support of […]
14 Jun, 2015
Research

Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 5th-June 12th 2015

ABOVE: Dutch MPs visit an Air Task Force facility, June 5 2015 (Dutch MoD) Major Developments New figures show coalition has now dropped more than 15,000 bombs and missiles on Iraq and Syria, in more than 4,500 airstrikes There were four new incidents reported in which it was claimed coalition aircraft may have caused civilian or […]
14 Jun, 2015
Update

Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: June 5th-June 12th 2015

ABOVE: Dutch MPs visit an Air Task Force facility, June 5 2015 (Dutch MoD) Major Developments New figures show coalition has now dropped more than 15,000 bombs and missiles on Iraq and Syria, in more than 4,500 airstrikes There were four new incidents reported in which it was claimed coalition aircraft may have caused civilian or […]
7 Jun, 2015
Update

Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: May 29th-June 5th 2015

ABOVE: Scene of devastation at the town of al Hawijah near Kirkuk, Iraq after a US airstrike destroyed a Daesh IED factory Major Developments In single greatest claim of coalition-inflicted civilian deaths since August, up to 70 non-combatants are reported killed in an airstrike on Iraqi town of al-Hawijah Coalition denies it has seen evidence […]
7 Jun, 2015
Research

Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: May 29th-June 5th 2015

ABOVE: Scene of devastation at the town of al Hawijah near Kirkuk, Iraq after a US airstrike destroyed a Daesh IED factory Major Developments In single greatest claim of coalition-inflicted civilian deaths since August, up to 70 non-combatants are reported killed in an airstrike on Iraqi town of al-Hawijah Coalition denies it has seen evidence […]
30 May, 2015
Update

Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: May 22nd-29th 2015

ABOVE: Aftermath of a devastating explosion in Mosul May 21st 2015 which killed between 12-50 civilians according to reports (via Mosul Ateka) Major Developments Two new civilian casualty incidents are reported for the past week. The destruction of an ISIL arms dump in Mosul is said to kill 12-50 non-combatants. And in Syria, up to 10 female agricultural […]
30 May, 2015
Research

Coalition airstrikes and casualties in Iraq and Syria: May 22nd-29th 2015

ABOVE: Aftermath of a devastating explosion in Mosul May 21st 2015 which killed between 12-50 civilians according to reports (via Mosul Ateka) Major Developments Two new civilian casualty incidents are reported for the past week. The destruction of an ISIL arms dump in Mosul is said to kill 12-50 non-combatants. And in Syria, up to 10 female agricultural […]
13 May, 2015
Update

Why we’ve launched Airwars

In the first 40 weeks of US-led military action against so-called Islamic State (Daesh), more than 3,800 airstrikes were carried out by a dozen international coalition members across both Iraq and Syria. Those strikes saw around 13,000 bombs and missiles dropped in an aerial war likely to continue for many more months, if not years. Civilian non-combatants already faced great risk on the […]
13 May, 2015
Update

Why we’ve launched Airwars

In the first 40 weeks of US-led military action against so-called Islamic State (Daesh), more than 3,800 airstrikes were carried out by a dozen international coalition members across both Iraq and Syria. Those strikes saw around 13,000 bombs and missiles dropped in an aerial war likely to continue for many more months, if not years. Civilian non-combatants already faced great risk on the […]